i would have to agree with you after watching a documentary called lost highway (which i HIGHLY recommend for any bluegrass or country music fan). according to the documentary scruggs INVENTED the three finger style (actually two fingers and one thumb) that catapulted the popularity of bluegrass banjo (almost overnight) after he debuted it with bill monroe and the bluegrass boys. considering that fact, it really cant even be honestly debated that he was the best ever. according to the documentary, the flatt/scruggs incarnation of bill monroe and the bluegrass boys took the group from "popular" to near rock star (before there were rock stars) popularity with frenzied-style reactions from audiences for really the first time. my favorite quote was from a pre-earl-scruggs banjo player (i cant remember his name) at the time who said after hearing scruggs he thought he should take his banjo and make a into a "hen's nest" hahahahah :)
i had been listening to something else on with the speed at .75, then started listening to this and was delighted and amazed at the playing ...then i discovered it was not at full speed!!......wow i laughed and was even more delighted and amazed, what a band and player all these guys were.
No question this is the best group ever on the opry, Josh innovator and genius, But Scruggs the most amazing banjo genius of all time, plus Paul, Curly, plus incredible Tulllock on Bass, What a spectacular meeting of talents, once ever, perfection!
The simplicity is one of the strong points. There is NO TECHNOLOGY that improves this music. Thinking technology and processing improves real music is what is wrong with bluegrass today
Jake Tullock- Bass, Tenor. Josh Graves- Dobro and Bass, Had A Instrumental Voice. Lester Flatt- Guitar, Tenor. Earl Scruggs- Banjo and Guitar, Baritone. Paul Warren- Fiddle, Bass. Curly Seckler- Mandolin and Guitar, Tenor Frank (Hylo) Brown- Guitar, Baritone and Assisted Tenor Sometimes.
Howard May That tune is variously titled "Buck Creek Gal," "Stony Point," and "Pigtown Fling." On the Carnegie Hall album, it's listed as the nondescript "Fiddle and Banjo." I suspect that the Foggy Mountain Boys themselves may have known it by yet another (obscene) title that the Skillet Lickers released it under.
